Natsume and mikan's Valentine's Day date
by SidneyShey
Summary: This is a one-shot about how Natsume gets the courage to ask Mikan on a date to Central Town. This is my first story, by the way. In which Natsume writes a poem, Mikan finally does something right, and Curly-Perm goes full-blooded cat. Please R & R!


**Gakuen Alice: Valentine's Day!**

"**Hello, everyone! It's February fourteenth, and you all know what that means!" Narumi-sensei clapped his hands together in excitement. Natsume made a face. It was Valentine's Day already? He was still haunted by the memory of last year's Valentine's Day--some idiot had thrown chocolate into his mouth…and Tsubasa…ugh. Possibly the worst day he'd ever had at Alice Academy. But there **_**was**_** one thing he might be looking forward to this year. "Hey, polka-dots." he called. Mikan turned halfway to stick her tongue out at him, then smiled. She walked over slowly. "Hi, Natsume." she greeted him. "What are you doing this evening?" he asked, not taking his eyes off of his comic book. "Well, I was thinking about sleeping over at Hotar--" Natsume cut her off. "Nope. We're going to have dinner in Central Town, at seven." "Huh? But…Natsume, I don't have any money!" Natsume sighed. "I'm paying, you dimwit." Mikan was used to this kind of teasing from him, so she just huffed at the insult. As soon as she got what he was saying, her face brightened. "Ooh, thanks, Natsume! I'll bring Hotaru, and Ruka-pyon, and--" Natsume shot out a hand and grabbed her wrist. "Just…us." he said slowly, enunciating every syllable. As soon as she figured out what this meant, she flushed brilliant magenta. "Um, sure, Natsume! I'll see you at seven?" she muttered, studying her shoes. "I'll be at your door." he murmured. As she flitted out of the classroom, he checked the time. 3:30. Well, crap. What was he going to do until seven?!**

**Ruka's POV **

"**Hey. Ruka-pyon!" a voice hissed from behind him. He stopped, annoyed. He was on his way to the animal barn; what was more important than that? He looked around to see it was Sumire, the girl who stalked Natsume. "What?" he said warily. "Natsume and Mikan have made arrangements….for a DATE!" Sumire whispered, her voice rising on the word **_**date.**_** "So?" Ruka said, still agitated. "Well? Don't you want to get back at them?" she shrieked, throwing her hands in the air. "No, not really. Could you please get out of my way? I have to go somewhere." Ruka sighed. "Ruka, you know I'm a horrible cook, right?" Sumire said, suddenly smiling. A chill went down Ruka's spine. Yes, he did know. He had accidentally eaten one of her chocolates last year, and he had thrown up for hours. He nodded slowly. "Well, if you think so, then that's all I need to hear!" Sumire gushed, turning on the spot. "Wait! Curly-Perm, what are you up to?!" Ruka shouted at her back. She tittered but didn't answer. He would have to warn Natsume. **

**Natsume's POV **

**Natsume went up to his room, bored. What was he going to do for the next few hours? Maybe he would send Naru a fake love letter from Jinno again. It was always entertaining to see the results. He started to write one, smirking, but he changed it after a few seconds. He crumpled it up, burnt it, then swept the ashes in the trash. Drumming his fingers against his desk, he started to write. **

_**Dear Mikan**_

_**Your smiles light up the sky with beauty. Your laughter is what pulls me through the day. The sparkle in your eyes is never-ending. I hope it never, ever fades away. If words could describe you, then you wouldn't be the wonderful, special, miraculous light that you are. Happy Valentine's Day.**_

_**Love, Natsume**_

"**Natsume! Can I come in?" A familiar voice called outside his door. "Sure, Ruka." Natsume replied, scrambling to hide the letter. Ruka flung the door open, his face flushed. "Natsume….Curly-Perm's going to--!" he panted. "What? Die from over-girly-ness?" Natsume asked nervously. But Ruka didn't answer. He was staring at the corner of the letter that was sticking out from under Natsume's pillow. In the next heartbeat, Ruka lunged for it. But Natsume was ready. He wrestled Ruka's precious pet out of his arms and opened the window. "You know I'll do it!" Natsume threatened. Ruka had a hold on the letter, about to read it, but bit his lip as his rabbit cried for help. "I only wanted to look at it!" Ruka said defensively as Natsume handed the rabbit back to him. "Oh…fine. Whatever." Natsume growled, ears turning red. Ruka looked up at his expression, amused and surprised. "Natsume, you're blushing! What's the occasion?" Ruka chuckled. "Just read it." Natsume sighed. Ruka's eyes traveled over the paper, and he laughed at the end. "What?" Natsume said self-consciously. "It's nothing, Natsume. Sakura's going to love it. And she's going to love you." Ruka said, sticking out his tongue. "Ugh! Why do you have to say that?" Natsume murmured, shoving Ruka towards the door. "Wait, Natsume!" Ruka said, his voice muffled through the door. "Go away now!" Natsume told him as he locked the door behind him. **

**Mikan's POV**

**She was so excited! Natsume was taking her out for dinner! But what would she wear? Hmmm…maybe the white dress with gold trimming? Yes, that was perfect! That was the dress she'd been wearing when Natsume had said her name for the first time. Minus the cute halo and wing attachments. Mikan flopped down on her tiny bed, wondering what she should do. Suddenly she had an idea--she could make an Alice stone for Natsume!! She had gotten really good at it. She had just decided on the idea when Hotaru walked into her room without knocking, as usual. "Hey, idiot." she greeted Mikan. "Hi, Hotaru! I'm making an Alice stone for Natsume!" Mikan said cheerfully. "Hmmm." Hotaru said, bored. Mikan concentrated all her energy, and her hands began to glow. When she was finished, she had a stone about one inch in length and width. It was a bright, cheery orange. "That's the best work I've ever done!" Mikan cheered. "You're right. Want me to take it for finishing?" Hotaru suggested, peering over Mikan's shoulder. "Hotaru, would you really do that?! Oh, thank you!" Mikan squealed as Hotaru stuffed it into her uniform pocket. "Please give it back by six thirty!" Mikan called, and Hotaru nodded, smiling softly. **

**Natsume's POV**

**Natsume knocked on Mikan's door. "Come in!" she sing-songed. Natsume let himself in, fingering the letter in his pocket nervously. He looked at Mikan; she was wearing that white dress that she had worn at the Last Dance last year. "You look…less ugly than usual," he managed. "I could say the same for you." Mikan giggled. He was dressed casually but nicely in jeans and a button-up shirt. (unbuttoned, of course! gosh forbid!) "So…are you ready?" Natsume asked, not looking at her. "Yep! Let's go!" Mikan said cheerfully. They took the bus to Central Town, not saying much. Suddenly, Mikan giggled. "Remember last year, when you made me your slave?" she said, smiling. "Oh, yeah. You weren't very good at it." Natsume commented. "Hey! You weren't very good at being that little boy's wildcat friend in the play for the Somatic class." Mikan accused. Last year in the play, several cast members had become stuck to something or someone, so a lot of people had to be replaced. This caused Mikan to play the prince, because the girl who played it was stuck to about five hundred other girls. In the midst of the accident, a little kid had grabbed Natsume's hand, so Natsume had to go onstage dressed as a wildcat for the little kid's sake. "I only had one line!" Natsume insisted. "Yeah, and you spat it out like you were going to burn someone to death if they laughed." Mikan teased. "Well maybe I would've." Natsume said darkly. The bus creaked to a stop, and Mikan and Natsume hurried out with the rest of their classmates. Natsume recognized a few faces, but the ones that stood out were Ruka and Curly-Perm. Natsume's mouth felt dry all of a sudden; Ruka had been trying to tell him something earlier. What was Permy up to?**

**Ruka's POV**

**It was time to follow Natsume and Mikan, to see if Curly would make a move. At the last minute, Ruka had decided he could use the help of one of his classmates, Sidney. She was American, and she had been kidnapped by Natsume under the orders of Persona, who was dead now. Now Ruka and Sidney hid ducked under a bus seat, listening to the conversation around them. Ruka dared to look up for a second, and he saw Sumire's vivid hair flash. "There she is," Ruka croaked to Sidney, who grinned. "Got it." she replied, shaking a small bag of chocolates together. **

**Natsume's POV**

**Natsume pulled Mikan's chair out for her. This was the first time that he wouldn't smirk and pull it out from her just as she sat down. He sat down at his end of the table, searching for a familiar face. Hey, there was Ruka. **_**Hey! Ruka!**_** Natsume mouthed. Ruka caught his eye and mouthed back, **_**What?**_** Natsume gulped, wishing he had some water or something. **_**Come over here! Please?**_** Even if he was just mouthing it, that was the first time Natsume had said 'please' in about six years, so Ruka knew he wasn't kidding around. He moved stealthily through the tables, and a girl was following him. Oh, that was Sidney. The American girl. The one he'd…um…kidnapped a few months ago. Her dirty blond hair was curled for the occasion, her green eyes surveyed the room, not missing anything. Ruka and Sidney plopped down at the table beside them. "Hi, Ruka-pyon! Hi, Sidney!" Mikan said warmly. "Hey!" they both greeted her back. Sidney and Mikan immediately started talking, as girls always do when they're put together. "Natsume, you have to be careful! Curly's going to try to ruin your date!" Ruka whispered urgently. Suddenly Curly-Perm leapt on top of a table, her cat whiskers and ears out. "Hey, everyone! Listen to me--!" Permy shouted, waving her hands in the air. "Got the chocolates?" Ruka asked Sidney. She grinned and nodded, taking one from a bag. Ruka used his pheromones on a mouse nearby. "Sorry, little guy!" Ruka whimpered, tying the chocolate to its back. Permy sniffed the air and leapt at the small brown creature, swallowing it whole. Ruka turned green, and several people made noises of disgust. Suddenly, Permy started coughing as the chocolate went into her system, and she shrank down to a full-blooded cat. Natsume sighed and set her tail on fire. "Yeeoooowwwrrrr!" Permy-cat screeched, and she took off down the street. "When Permy ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" Sidney declared, using one of her strange American expressions that always made everyone laugh. "Hey, Natsume. Is there something in your pocket that you want to show the class?" Sidney asked professionally as her eyes flashed amber. "Uh, Sidney! Why don't we go to the animal barn and see those new kittens you like?" Ruka improvised nicely. Sidney's face brightened, and she nodded. "Bye, Natsume. Bye, Mikan." they chorused. "What's in your pocket?" Mikan demanded as soon as Ruka's foot was out the door. "Probably yesterday's math test," Natsume lied. "What'd you get on it? Come on, tell meeee!" Mikan whined as Natsume dodged her easily. "It can't be any worse than yours…panda-pattern." he said with an evil smirk. "Yo, Mikan!" a lazy voice called. It was that shadow freak, Tsubasa. "What do you want, baldy?" Natsume said, not giving Mikan an opportunity to answer. "Something fell out of your pocket!" Tsubasa informed him, and Natsume realized, too late, that the note was in a shadow. "Damn it!" Natsume muttered, trying to grab it, but Tsubasa was too quick for him. The note shot right into Tsubasa's waiting hand. Natsume's eyes flashed murderous crimson. "Tsubasa, give Natsume's math test back!" Mikan demanded, marching over to his table and stomping her foot. "Oh, this isn't a math test." Tsubasa winked at Natsume, and opened his mouth as if he were about to read off of the paper. But that was as far as he would get. Natsume strode over to his table, snatched the note out of his hand, and slammed that horses hoof glove Hotaru had gotten him for his birthday into his smirking face. Blood spurted from Tsubasa's nose, and he howled in pain. **_**That's more like it.**_** Natsume thought as he folded the glove into his pocket. And they didn't even order anything. Damn, that restaurant's service sucked!**

**Mikan's POV**

"**Natsume, did you have to punch Tsubasa-senpai in the face?" Mikan complained as she followed Natsume outside. "Yes." Natsume muttered n that conversational way he had. He took her by the arm, making her skin warm where he touched it, as usual. "Hey, let's sit under that tree!" Mikan suggested, pointing to the tree where Natsume always slept under on the Academy's trips to Central Town. "Hm." Natsume replied. Yep, that guy was chock-full of words. "Natsume, are you upset about your math quiz? Because, seriously, you can't have it worse off than me." Mikan said, feeling concerned. "You idiot. It's not the math test I'm worried about. If it was that, then I'd be a wimp." the corners of Natsume's mouth twitched, and Mikan could sense he was biting back a smile. "Well, if that's not your math test, then what is it?" Mikan demanded, the Alice Stone necklace Hotaru had helped her make suddenly very warm against her thigh. "What's that in your pocket?" Natsume shot back. "Nothing!" Mikan lied very unconvincingly. "Mm-hm. Sure." Natsume rolled his eyes. Everything was silent for a moment, then Mikan gathered up her courage and reached down into her pocket. She felt around inside, but found nothing but a piece of paper. A folded up note. She looked up to see Natsume standing a few feet away, the Alice Stone necklace dangling in his palm. He looked sickeningly smug. She was about to yell at him for pick-pocketing her, but he just sighed and said, "Read it." Mikan suspiciously unfolded it. As her eyes traveled along the page, tears gathered in her eyes. "Natsume…" she sniffled. As a tear splashed on the paper, Natsume ran a finger under her eye. He stuck the finger in his mouth, looking thoughtful. "Thank you." Mikan said, her voice high-pitched with emotion. "No, thank **_**you**_**." Natsume said wryly, taking her picture of him nibbling Tsubasa's ear from her pocket. "Hotaru's got a better one anyway!" Mikan called as he snuck off into the shadows. But not before giving her a small, scorching kiss on the lips. "Perverted fox," Mikan sighed blissfully. **


End file.
